Between Heaven and Hell
by Sunny Ice
Summary: An accident on Halloween turns the evening into a real nightmare...Dasey hints, mainly family.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Back at this fandom, as promised. This story is less fluffy and more angsty than my previos LwD stories.**

**Just read it, the style and outcome would be the same as in my other LwDs.**

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><p>"No! Absolutely not!"<p>

"But Nora-"

"No 'buts', Derek, we all knew what happened last time you threw a party and we're not going there again."

"Besides, we're not going to forbid you to go to a party, just being the host of one."

"Dad! The row was on me, I was supposed to throw the party of the season. Come on, you can stay in the basement and listen if my friends trash the house. Which they won't, by the way, I'm locking all the fragile pieces away."

"And the bedrooms along with it?"

"It's a teenage-party, of course I won't do that."

The moment Derek said it, was the moment he knew he just drowned the last piece of hope.

"No party and that's it, Derek." George turned around and left the kitchen.

"Why don't you go with Casey and Marti for trick-or-treat? So you can get out of the house?" Nora suggested.

He just rolled his eyes and stomped up the stairs.

He'd rather sit at home and play computer-games than risk being seen with his klutzy step-sister and his little sister collecting sweets from strangers at housedoors.

Halfway to his room, Marti stopped him.

"Smerek, how do I look?"

As always the voice of his little sister had a calming effect on him. He crouched down to her and motioned for her to spin.

"Sweet as the candy you're going to get, looking like that," he said smiling.

"But I shouldn't look sweet! I should look scary!"

"Oh, that's my fault," Casey chimed in. "I completely forgot about your hat, little witch." She bowed down and placed said piece on Marti's head. Then she looked at Derek, urging him to say what his little one wanted him to.

"Oh my!" He clutched his hand to his chest. "Stay away from me! I-I can't...that's just creepin' me out!" Theatralically he fell backwards, letting his tongue hang out of his mouth and his limbs go putty to make it look as if he'd just died.

Marti giggled.

One win on this evening for him at least.

He sat up and scooped Marti onto his lap.

"And don't you come home without your bags being heavier than you in winter-clothes, you hear me, Smarti?"

She giggled again and put her arms around his neck to hug him.

"Do I have to share?"

"Only with me."

He let her go and looked after her as she hopped down the stairs.

"You can come with us, y'know," Casey smiled at him. Derek had almost forgotten that she was still standing there.

Startled, he looked up at her. And down her figure.

She wore dark-red fishnet-stockings, a black dress with silver glittering lace over the skirt and heavy but tasteful make-up.

Her eyes were framed in style of green smokey-eyes going from light to dark green, ending in deep black eyeliner and mascara that made her eyes the most prominent part on her face. Her lips, on the other hand, just had a touch of violet lipgloss to them.

She looked absolutely stunning.

"What do you think?" She put a lock of her heavy curled hair behind her ear and looked him in the eyes.

'That I want to pull you down to me to kiss you senseless and-' He jerked back the hand he had unconsciously reached out to her.

She misinterpreted the gesture and wanted to help him up.

Derek stood up hazingly, carefully avoiding to look at her, and ran to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Casey remained there puzzled. She didn't know how to read the expression she had seen on his face as he seemingly noted her looks. But she knew, it started recently that this was a look he gave her more often than any other.

Appreciative.

Lustful.

Dangerous.

Fearful and insecure.

Just like she felt.

w-_-w

"Have fun!"

"And call, if you need something."

"Don't go too far away!"

Nora and George stood in the doorframe and waved after the two girls.

Due to the freezing temperatures Marti was packed in pullovers, scarfs and her winter jacket. She looked like a colourful marshmallow. Casey had her wine-red autumncoat wrapped tightly around her and a black barrett on her locks to round her outfit up. In her big purse she carried warm tea and some crackers. All time prepared in case one of them was still hungry after dinner.

Casey took Marti's gloved hand in her own. She looked over the neighbourhood, where groups of dressed up children walked in groups our with adults waiting on the front porches for them. Doors were opened, every few seconds kids' choirs with "trick or treat" were waving through the crisp night-air.

"Where would you like to-"

"Trick or tree~eat," Marti was already in front of a door and almost sang her phrase.

Casey shut her stunned mouth and smiled instead. She should have known that the things were different with the Venturis. Lizzie had been more of the shy type back then. Marti was a forward as her big brother. Not so much Edwin, but Derek's influence was clear to everyone who knew both sides of it.

Casey'd notied the smile that was reserved for Marti and for Marti only. Derek never had an expression that calm and happy when being with anyone else. He himself seemed to absorb some of her sweet innocence. Become a child when he was playing with her and her toys.

And she'd have never ever admitted it, but he didn't seem anything else than cute to her on those days.

Their tour moved on. Either Marti became instantly part of a group of kids in her hunt for sweets or she went alone. Her big step-sister was always not more than a few steps behind her, not running from one house to the next, but picking a slow pace. Hands in her pockets she enjoyed the clear, star- stained sky above and the exiting hurry of the little ones around her.

"Casey, hurry up!" Marti was already standing on the doormat of the next house.

Casey frowned. A beautiful porch, and clean and neatly painted house, a red door, opened by a middle-aged man smiling brightly at the kids. Nothing to worry about.

Seemingly.

Suddenly it struck her: this was no beautiful, clean and neat house Casey knew. The man giving sweets didn't live in the neighbourhood. She turned over her shoulder. She didn't know any of the houses in this street. They didn't get lost, they only went straight ahead from home. But they were far away from their house.

"Marti, wait a bit." Casey stopped her before she could ring the next bell. "Maybe we should try the other side of the street as well. I bet they have some very good sweets." She offered Marti her hand, which the girl hesitantly took. The young woman brought the little one to take the direction back home.

While Marti was back on her route, Casey called her mum. But she didn't answer her phone. So she tried it with George's number. Could be, her mother forgot to recharge her cellphone. Which she never did, especially when not all her children were around her.

No answer again.

Casey sighed and called the house phone.

"Edwin Venturi?"

"Ed?" Why did he pick up? He usually was at his room doing something or playing games with Lizzie. But he didn't sound as if he had played anything lately.

"Why do you sound so stressed? Is anything wrong?" Casey's stomach seemed to tighten. When she wasn't guessing wrong, something was off.

"Uhm..."

"Ed? Gimme the phone," Derek's voice was being heard from afar. Some rustling and then:

"Derek Venturi, son of George Venturi and Nora MacDonald?"

"Derek? Why would you give your relationship with Mum and George when picking up the phone?"

"Casey?" He sighed. As if she'd dissapointed him, as if she wasn't the one he was expecting a call from.

"Derek, what is wrong, why do you answer the phone like that? Where are our parents?" This was not the moment to point out the difference of the families. To her they were one for now.

"Casey..." at his soft, assuring tone her chest tightened too. "I called dad and Nora half an hour ago." He took a deep breath. "There was a woman on the phone...Casey...there had been an accident."

**u-_-u**


	2. Chapter 2

_"Casey...there had been an accident."_

The world stopped turning.

The breath hitched in her lungs.

The cold crept from inside out.

"Casey?" Two Venturis at once called to her, one of them tugging on her coat.

She crouched down and hugged her little sister close to her body, urging herself not to freak out and scare Marti.

"I'm there," she said, not sure to whom.

"I don't know what happened, but the woman who picked up told me that there had been a car accident and a couple was being brought to the hospital. Right now, we don't know anything, but we're waiting here. I think it's best for you two to come home."

Casey nodded, not sure of her voice. She was close to scoop Marti up and run home, in hopes to rip open the door and Nora and George were sitting on the couch, telling her this was some kind of sick joke of Derek and that he was grounded for the rest of his days.

"Casey!" The volume tore her out of her thoughts, reminding her that the other end of the line still waited for an answer.

"We're on our way." She hung up and let go of Marti. Taking her hand, she started a power-walk, overhearing the protests and questions of the little one and ignoring the stares she got from other people around her about her behaviour.

Suddenly there was not Marti, but a heavy weight on her hand bringing her to a sudden stop.

"I will not move until you tell me what is going on." She sat on the floor, pouting.

"Marti..."

"No! Tell me!"

Casey was an angel.

So said most of the parents whose kids she had looked after. She was always being patient, smiling and convincing the little ones that what she said was what they wanted to do.

Right now she was a fallen angel at least.

When she looked at Marti, she didn't see an innocent little girl, hoping to get as many sweets as possible.

Right now she saw an anchor, which kept her ship from heading to a save haven.

Her blood boiled, her heart beat rapidly and her breathing became laboured. She just wanted to be home and save. And Marti was not helping her stressed out mind.

Her self-control only lasted to the point of gritting her teeth and not saying anything she'll regret later.

Casey reached down, gripped the girl under the arms and lifted her on her hip. Then she moved on, only tightening her grip around a wriggling and protesting Marti.

After a few meters Casey's cellphone beeped. Almost dropping her step-sister as she set her back on the concrete, she reached into her pocket and pushed the button. "Hello?"

"Casey, thank goodness." Nora was on, and she sounded most relieved.

"Mum!" Now Casey's tears threatened to spill. "Where are you? Which hospital? What happened? How bad are you injured?" She'd spoken hastly and her words were jumbled together and blurred.

"Casey, Casey calm down."

She couldn't. How could she calm down, when her mother was being hurt? What else should -could- she do now?

"Casey, honey, you still there?"

"I am."

"George and I are not in the hospital."

"Not? But-"

"I don't know what gave you the idea, but there had been a car accident-"

"I've heard that."

"But we're alright. I can give you the details at home, but for now just know that we are healthy and trying to get home as fast as possible."

"If you're not injured, then why are you only TRYING to get home?"

"Our car's damaged." Nora sighed. Casey could picture her being exasperated. "Listen, Casey, a car before us oversaw another car and they crashed when the latter wanted make to turn. George wanted to avoid bumping into them and jerked to the side, knocking the backdoor into a tree."

Casey let out a sob as she heard the explanation. Her parents were okay, the weren't injured and they would sit at home and wait for her.

"Honey, stay with me here." 'It is time to be an adult, Casey,' was the message behind this sentence.

"We're almost at Aunt Jenny's house. We'll walk the bit and borrow her car. I want you to go home and keep the littles calm, George and I will arrive somewhen around midnight." That was in nearly three hours.

"Why so long?"

"We were on our way to Jenny, she needed her heart-pills and we have to get them from the pharmacy first."

Casey looked at Marti, who clung to her, scared about her parents.

"I feel bad for burden you with that, Casey, but you're the one we trust most. You can and will control the situation. Honey, I call Derek now, and tell him to do as you say. And he will do so, because if not he'll be grounded for the rest of his days."

A weak smile appeared on Casey's face. Now she knew where her choice of words came from.

"Now, I have to hang up and call him, George must've lost his cellphone."

"He awaits a call from the hospital. A woman called him and told him about the accident."

There was silence.

"Maybe she found the phone and thought it belonged to one of the victims.

"Anyway, we are okay and you go home and stop being worried. Casey, you can do that."

"I love you, mum." She just had to say that. The nightmares, which had built in her head since Derek's call, caused her to tell her parents this. "You and George."

"I know," her voice was soft. "And we love you too. Don't worry." She said again and after their good-byes she hung up.

Casey drew in a deep breath and than got down on Marti's eyelevel.

"It's alright, everything is alright. Mum and Dad are okay, they'll be home soon." She explained the situation briefly and suitable for the ears of a child. "We just need to go home," she closed.

"I can't." Marti flung her arms around Casey's neck and held on tighly.

"And if I carry you?" Marti shook her head.

"If we go very slowly?" Again a no.

"Shall I call Smerek?" It felt strange using this nickname for him, but she talked to the one who gave it to him.

"Then I'll do so." She got up and looked around. "But while we're waiting for him, we walk to that bench, yeah?"

u-_-u


End file.
